Five Ways to Screw up Your Life with the Internet

I used to announce to students that they had to do a social networking project where they had to publish something relevant to whatever we were studying on their Facebook page and then share it with the class.

Wait for it . . .

About 30 seconds after this announcement, some students would go white, others would start to fidget, while still others looked like their head was about to blow off. Here's what they were thinking, "I have to show my Facebook page to my professor?!@#$"

So think about that. If you wouldn't want your parents or siblings looking at your Facebook page, you need to do some adjusting ASAP!

What? You don't care what your professor or relatives think?

Think about this. When you apply for your dream job, your prospective employer is going to Google you and if your latest post features you in a sexually explicit pose chugging a bottle of tequila, well, guess who isn't going to get the job?


Pajamas media just published a list of the Five Ways to Screw up Your Life with the Internet

1. Upload naked pictures and videos.
Seriously, Anthony Weiner is a former U.S. Representative because he uploaded stupid pics of himself (see above).

2. Have a political blog and a stupid boss.
Seriously. See rule 4, below.

3. Put too much trust in people you don't know.
Yeah, don't move across country to marry your dream guy, he's probably a nightmare.

4. Post something you're not comfortable with EVERYONE seeing.
Remember, that rule about writing essays - don't write about something you don't want everyone to know. Well, the same thing applies to the internet, magnified about a billion times.

5. Let the Internet eat up your life.
People have died--especially, it seems, while playing World of Warcraft.

And oh, I'm not going to ask what dumb things you've put up on your social networking site. But if you're thinking, "I need to go clean up my Facebook page," get to it!

Comments

  1. After reading this blog about how the internet can screw up my life actually really spoke to me. I realize now how easy it is for future employers, family and even girlfriends to see what I have posted on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Not only is this embarrassing, but it could also jeopardize my attempt to get a new job if the employer thinks my pictures shows what kind of employee I would be, thus hindering my salary or even my chances of getting the job at all. After this comment I am going to clean up my Facebook right away.

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  2. After reading this article it makes me really think about the way I am portrayed on social networking sites. Even though I don't have any obscene photos or anything, innappropriate words and what not can make someone for example a job employer think differently of you. Not only can having bad stuff like that make someone lose their job, it can ruin someones life. I am going to clean up my facebook as soon as possible.

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  3. After reading this blog it boggles my mind to see how irresponsible and oblivious our society has become. I have no clue what would possess someone to do something like post a naked picture of themselves, a picture of them drinking, or tweet about how much they hate their boss. That is just me becuase I have been raised properly filled with good morals. Even though my parents are really cool and are like my best friends I know that they would be disgusted and embarrassed by something like this. I know in my heart that I am better than this and I would love to prove to myself, my parents, and all of my loved ones that to make them proud of me. I myself have never down this and I vow after reading this blog that I will never post pictures of myself on the internet in awkward positions or make unnecessary tweets.

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  4. I completely agree with this article. You shouldnt do anything you are not proud of especially on the internet. As far as employers looking at your face book, I dont agree with that. To me it is the equivalent of them asking to go through your purse, or wallet. None of their buisness. Those sites were made for social networking, not as a backround check.

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  5. After reading this blog, I realized I already follow these basic rules. I have seen many people cause problems for themselves through facebook by posting things that they should keep to themselves. Especially how facebook is so popular, people can't help but take everything on the site seriously. A lot of people make themselves look bad without even knowing it. No idea why people post their phone numbers on there.

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  6. I have already noticed this and gone through my Facebook page to start to make the significant changes I need to establish myself and a respectable young man.I still need to get some pictures off and stuff like that but I think I've for the most part got my irresponsible pictures and comments off Facebook.

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  7. I find it rather sad that it takes articles like these to make people realize that their information needs to stay secure with them and not posted up on the internet for everyone to see. It is simple common sense that if you think something would see rude, or bad then dont post it. Too many stories are told about the tragedies happening to people by not being discreet with their infromation on the internet which often leads to abuduction, rape, and/or murder. I would strongly caution anyone to be aware of what they do or dont want to give away before talking to other people on the internet.

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  8. I agree with this blog. Anything people put on their facebook or twitter or blogs should be publishable; it's like a advertisement of yourself, you never know who is viewing your page and they do judge you base on that.If you feel uncomfortable of sharing these informations with public, you conld always make the post only visible to those you want to sharewith.
    this blog also talked about "clean your facebook page". I constanly do so. Because something you feet confident posting today may embarrase you when you view that again tomorrow. And you dont want people to judge you base on the past things you posted.(maybe when you were immaature)Constantly managing your page can prevent this.
    After all, the things you share on internet can really make a significant effect on your life. But you can always take this advantage, to show the good side of you on your page, make it a tool to create opportunities for yourself.

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  9. Even though im not one of the stupid people that do these types of things; After reading this post all i could think about were the many people that i have come across with inappropriate pictures and comments. But i will still go and overlook my profiles to see if there is anything that could go.

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  10. Some people don't realize when they post something on the internet, the whole world can see it. So don't put things on the internet you don't want others to see. The internet is a powerful tool, and like all other tools, it should be handled with care.

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  11. I agree with the article on what you shouldn't do on the internet and to keep yourself looking presentable to others. I have always made sure to follow these rules and have learned from other people about what not to do. I have already heard about employers checking future employers social networks and I feel that even though people are dumb and post disturbing and unnecessary things on their profiles, employers should not be checking them out. For me, I keep my personal life and my work life completely separate. I've been told to keep my personal problems at home and from effecting my work, so why should they get to bring my job into my personal life?

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  12. I feel like the people who did get worked up about what their professors would think were the ones that had innappropriate and embarrasing behaviors to hide. However, it is hilarious to see that people are worrying about what one person's judgement would be when that information is there for everyone to see. People do not realize that what they put on the internet is forever permanent and they need to be more careful about what they decide to expose. Sure, a bad impression for a professor over them is not good, but it does not stop there. Personal information and experiences that are on websites are not 100% secure. There will always be a way to find out if a person has skeleton's in their closet at some point. I beleive it is important to protect ourselves from too much exposure to avoid future issues that can affect both the lives of our loved ones and ourselves.

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  13. I have learn from personal experience to watch what I put on facebook as well as my friends. Even things you think aren't inappropriate it turns out they can be. I work at Safeway and one of my co-workers took a picture of an empty cart corral, well it may have seem innocent but when our manager found out he was pissed. That picture made to store look bad and employees look lazy. There was no reason for there to be no carts, as a store that is customer service based thats a big no-no. Although I didn't post the picture and it wasn't my fault that there were no carts I felt responsible too because I had posted "lol" as a comment on the picture. Now I am always careful what I post on facebook because I don't want to ever be in a compromised situation.

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  14. Okay, I tend to go online for more than a few hours a day so I'm fully aware of the consequences of posting--especially on social networking sites like Facebook. It's really sad that so many people don't realize this though, because they think that being on the Internet automatically means anonymity. There are so many ways to search and find people on Google. It's scary to think, but completely true. I really think that if you're not comfortable with letting everyone know what you're saying, you shouldn't post it. It's just common sense, really.

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  15. This post is so hilarious to me because it is so correct. So many young people do not connect their online personality to their real life personality. They detach themselves from the person they created online and forget that just because there is an option for privacy on your profile that there is always some loop hole where somebody you actually respect might see the stupid things you decided to share with a small group online.
    This post also intrigued me because it reminded me of VH1's Tough Love, which is a show about broken women becoming real people, where they had an episode surrounding the dangers of posting. On a first date with men they had never met before the host Steve Ward reveals the embarrassing pictures/posts the ladies had on their Facebook accounts. This completely ruined the vibe of each individual's date because many had naked pictures or vulgar posts or just posts that would deter any person who did not know them.

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  16. I agree that people post inappropriate things on the internet just to get attention.But they don't realize that EVERYONE can see it!! they think that it is private and within their circle of friends, but future employers can see your posts, and relatives you haven't seen in years could also see your naked pics, and your drunken binges so think before you act, and avoid unwanted attention, it is what will get you your dream job, and make people have some respect for you

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  17. And you know what even for those who want to be in the Adult film industry or things like Playboy, a publicist would not recommend putting your goods out there for the general population to see because then you have no leeway with payroll when Playboy wants you to pose naked. Nobody wants what they already have. HA!

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  18. I think that if people freak out about having their parents or professors see their Facebook page then they are either doing things that they should not be doing or they are posting inappropriate pictures, that they obviously should not be posting. If you are that insecure about your Facebook page then you should reevaluate what you are doing with your life. People should also realize that what they put out on the internet will always be on the internet and out there for everyone to see, including employers. I think that if you post anything on the internet that, if anything, it should always make you look good in any way because you never know who is out there Googling you. For example, when I post anything on Facebook, I think "what would my mother say?" Just because, if you do not want your mom to see what you are posting, then you should not want other people to see it as well. All in all, people are going to post whatever they want to post on the internet and sooner or later, people are going to see it whether the person likes it or not. So, I think that if you want to have a bright future and not be embarrassed about what you are posting on the internet, do not post anything of that sort.

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  19. Although a lot of the information given in this post should be common sense, i feel like a lot problems created by the internet have become sort of ingrained in modern culture. Twitter, for example, plays such a large role in society that the President of the United States has a twitter account. To me, at least, I'd prefer a more formal way to hear from such a powerful member of the country.

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  20. I agree with this blog. People shouldn't freak out when they are asked to see their Facebook page. There shouldn't be anything inappropriate on there. If you don't want certain people to know about some things, then why are they posting it? When something gets out into the internet it is very hard to delete it. Things that you put on Facebook should be something that you are comfortable with your parents or professors (like in the example about the students freaking out) to see. There shouldn't be anything that you don't want others to see because that can really mess up your life.

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  21. Even though I don't have anything inappropriate on my Facebook, I often see many teenagers or young adults posting weird poses of themselves in pictures. I agree with this blog that if you don't want your professor or parents seeing the obscene comment or image, then you shouldn't even post it. What you post now, will definitely come back and ruin your life in the future. I would advise everyone to think twice or wait a day before they post something on the Internet that may stay there permanently because no one wants to lose their job or a possible interview over something they posted when he or she was a teen.

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  22. I definitely agree with this post. i think that way too many people make the stupid mistake of posting things they do not want everyone to see on their public social networking sites. i have a large portion of my family on my facebook so i try not to curse too much in my status updates and whatnot. as for more personal things, i have a blog of my own on which i post personal things that i do not want family to see. there is no way to find my personal blog from any of my other social networks so you would either have to randomly stumble upon it if you were a part of the site.

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  23. I agree with what this article has to say. I think people should have enough common sense to know what is appropriate to put online for the entire world to see. Now that your employers can see your facebook account before hiring you, it's important that you refrain from taking pictures in sexual positions ect. When it comes to people dying from playing video games, i totally agree. I've seen a vast amount of people who waste their time and health playing xbox 24/7. It's honestly very sad to see.

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  24. I mostly agree with what it this article has to say, more or less because I consistently see many of my facebook friends post photos of drunken escapades with them flipping off the camera, in provocative clothing, or engaging in some form of illicit activities. They then proceed to complain about not getting whatever job it was that they wanted to get. But I take issue with the statement of the "let the internet eat up your life" point. While I agree with the sentiment that letting the internet become the number 1 priority in your life is a fast track to failure, I take issue with the descriptor. While it may have been written in a tongue-and-cheek manner, it reads like a cheap shot at the media frenzy that surrounded a few deaths that had been linked to WoW in the past 8 years. An MMORPG (the genre that WoW belongs to) is by it's very nature addictive, it asks the player to invest large amount of time in the game for the sake of progression. The few deaths related to WoW have stemmed from obsessives, people who were, for lack of a better term, addicted to it, and I find fault in using such a small problem as evidence of a much larger one. It would have been more fitting to use something like the playtimes of the game or of other sites and games altogether, as it gives better empirical data to be looked at.

    Altogether though this post hits the nail on the head in regards to issues I find with people's presence online.

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  25. The old saying, “what you do in the dark will come to light” is absolutely true when it comes to social networks. Surprisingly this blog caused me to rethink my future post and discussions on Facebook and Twitter. In the past, I’ve heard that companies look people up on the Internet but I considered it to be a crazy threat. I am now realizing that there is a thin line between personal and professional on the World Wide Web. As human beings we tend to be careless when it comes to certain things and there’s no doubt that social networking is a downfall for some. In addition I do not have the worst Facebook page made but a little spring-cleaning wont hurt!

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  26. People are putting more and more personal things about themselves on the internet. Facebook being one of the social websites where you can update your status every minute of the day, and I think that some people take that for granted and feel like they have to share what goes on each minute of their life. There are some things that you do you in your spare time that should stay secret and especially for celebrities and public figures because once they put their business online the whole world will know about it in just a short amount of time. In other words keep your business to yourself.

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  27. This blog is so true!!! I personally have my parents and aunts and uncles as friends on facebook, so everything I post goes straight to them! It can get annoying at times, but it keeps me in line. Everything I post, I have to think about wether I will get yelled at for it or not, and knowing my parents, it could be anything! People these days just need to realize that the internet connects so many different people together, and anything you post can be seen by anyone at any time. Someone's facebook should'nt be someones journal about every event that has happened in their lives, and it definaiely shouldnt be their own personal porn portfolio! People should consider thinking before they post!

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  28. I absolutely love this blog. I believe nothing too personal should ever be posted for the whole world to see. The internet can be so dangerous yet so useful. I have a face book myself and absolutely irritates me when people post such personal things such as boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, or how they are so depressed, or how they hate another person, its just unnecessary. Facebook says a lot of what kind of person you are. Girls and boys who post half naked pictures of themselves are giving the world something to talk about and clearly it's not going to be good.This also opens doors for creeps to follow you via internet. The blog also mentioned how professional jobs may have the curiosity to look through your facebook, I don't think it's the best thing to do but I'm sure it happens all the time. This can definitely shift someone's opinion who is seeking to hire you. Someone may have a great resume and great background experience but once they search you on facebook and get a hold of half naked pictures can definitely turn out very bad.Before I post anything, I make sure it's something appropriate for an elderly to see and not be surprised given the fact I do have older family members as friends in facebook.

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  29. It would be a person's worst nightmare when they are refused a job position because of what they have posted online on their blogs, such as Facebook. The internet can be harmful when there are pictures and posts that can harm our careers, such as embarrassing photographs or unpleasant blog posts. It is necessary to keep our public profile simple and clean, for anyone will be able to see certain areas of one's profile. Most of the time, our personal information placed in the internet will be the final judge in determining whether we are applicable for the interviewed job. It will benefit many to keep their profiles private in case employers decide to search them through the internet. Although we are able to keep our blogs private, it is still necessary to keep most of our personal life out of the internet. Many can take what we post the wrong way or it can spread throughout the internet without one knowing. In the end, it is better to post something appropriate you are willing to share with your family and for employers to see.

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  30. I found this blog post especially interesting for several reasons. I have a friend from France who changed his Facebook name so that the college he was applying to so that the Professors/Dean couldn't find him. He didn't want them to look through his Facebook so he pretended he didn't have one. He had pictures of him drinking and just having a good time that any college student would be doing. Fortunately, with the new privacy settings Zuckerberg put on Facebook we can make certain posts, pictures, and tags private from certain people like family members, people you're not friends with on Facebook, and whoever else you don't want to see your profile. I think this post opens some eyes though because many people would't think that their future employers would go out of the way to google them. I don't think it is fair that employers can look through your personal sites and make a judgement on whether or not you get a job position because you are who you are outside of the workplace. One could be a completely different person in the workplace so Facebook or any other social media site shouldn't make their final decision. Personally, I think people should just be smart enough to put their things as private.

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  31. I 100% agree with this. I don't like my brother's girlfriend at all & I remember I tweeted down about her. The thing is, I've never talked about Twitter AT ALL to my family. So I'd never thought they'd see my Twitter. I remember coming home one day to my Dad yelling at me, calling me selfish & childish, which was true at that point. I deleted that Twitter and made a new one because many things I said on it was vulgar. My point basically is that anything you post on any social networking site is never hidden or private. Anything and everything can or will be used against you on social networks.

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  32. It’s amazing to see how much truth there is in this article. As a Facebook user, I have read many personal comments and statuses about people’s lives. From their recent break ups to the nights they had every weekend; it is disappointing to see people telling strangers their life story. Recently when my friends and classmates went off to college, they never miss the opportunity to post pictures of themselves holding up all red cups or how they look after a long night of partying. It is sad to see kids not caring how the pictures they post up will affect their future jobs. Nowadays, it is so easy to google a person and all their pictures come up within a second. I feel like many kids don’t realize the affect that this has and they personally don’t care. I feel kids do this because they need attention and they want people around them to see how exciting their college life is and on the other hand people complain about everything on Facebook so that people can end up feeling bad for them. Through all of this I feel like Facebook or any type of social networking site is becoming more and more selfish as people use them to gain attention. I think that Facebook has a good purpose because it’s a chance to reconnect with others, but nowadays, people abuse it way too much and they use it for personal attention. In the future I can’t wait to read about all the posts about people complaining how they can’t get job and wondering what went wrong.

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  33. I think it is funny the things people post of sites like Facebook. Personally I have a lot of family members, young and old who are my friends on Facebook and even though I could just block them I prefer to have nothing to hide. I will be myself without making myself seem childish or unprofessional. Limit your public speaking unless it is something you are 100% comfortable with EVERYONE seeing it.

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  34. This article really attracted my attention, considering I have had bouts of 'internet-addiction' long ago. It seems you really can throw your life away with the internet, as people seem completely oblivious to any external stimuli while enthralled with some webpage or game. Having all these sorts of social networking and blog sites can definitely lead to people creating an online diary just about anyone can find with a few clicks. I've noticed myself posting a few questionable status updates, even had to hold myself back on a few more. I can only imagine the types of things some people are posting and how damaging they can be.

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  35. This particular post is probably my favorite one so far! I find it funny that people actually upload naked pictures and videos of themselves. Come on now, leave a little something to the imagination! In response to number 3, this reminded me of online dating websites for some reason. Am I the only one who still thinks it is a little weird to hook up with someone from these types of sites? Just like any other social networking site, what if he (or she) is completely opposite from whom he claims to be? That would just put me in an awkward situation. Number 4 and 5 make me laugh because so many people have no filter and use Facebook as a diary. It is crazy!

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  36. I see young teenagers being cocky and all in facebook. They would simply post a pic of themselves every single day and would get roughly about 60-70 likes. They would post some simple saying such as "I'm going to McDonalds" and they would get 80 likes for it. They would post anything they want in there such as dramas or stuff we don't really care about but at the end,it's just facebook. These people makes my news feed more entertaining because they make me laugh everytime they post such dumb things.

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  38. I agree with this blog.It’s amazing to see how much truth there is in this article. There are so many teenagers now post their pictures of them in provactive clothes to show how "cool" they are and i think all they want just showing off. As a Facebook user,like the way the young teenagers did on facebook, they post some random pictures or some dumb things on facebook everyday and then would get roughly about 30 -50 likes. They did not realize the "things" that they post on facebook will stay there forever. There are so many people have no filere and use facebook as a diary. These people did not realize everybody can see it and it will stay in the internet forever.

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  39. I definitely agree with this article. There are too many teenagers now that post pictures of them in provactive clothes posing or chugging alcohol to show how "cool" they are. It's really sad that kids have to do this to get some recognition in life. Hopefully this is only just a trend that eventually stops. I agree with the guidelines also. However, i feel that those are basics of the internet that people should know from the beginning. I have always been careful about who i talk to and what i have posted on the internet. Kids just need to think a little more about something before posting it.

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  40. I agree with this article. I do think people put their own business out there to quickly, whether it'd be your relationship status or what your currently doing. personally I find it quite pointless. I don't see how so many teenagers can post pictures of alcohol and them doing things their not supposed to. I can't imagine myself putting my business out there for everyone to see. I do have a Facebook but I don't put things I would be ashamed to show to other people besides my friends. I think people should think twice before posting something inappropriate or just plain dumb.

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  41. It's true many individuals don't realize that not only friends and family can look at ones facebook or social networks. But any company or person hiring a person always looks at social pages in order to get an idea of what that person might do outside work and how he or she shows itself. Thinking twice what to write as a post and picture being uploaded will allow one to maintain a more clear image, while winning a job over others applying that might not have a good FB profile picture. Show yourself always in a respectful from always and it will win you a respectful job and image of yourself.

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  42. I completely agree with this article. Too many people out there post their entire life's on these pages not knowing who is viewing them and how it may affect them in the future. I especially hate when it's teenagers posting all these half naked pictures, and all the vulgarity, just to try and appear "cool." It's really just a shame when all these alcoholic beverages, and drugs are put up too. I believe it's totally unprofessional and companies should look people up to find out something about them.

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  43. This article is true. You can really ruin your whole life through the internet. Not all the sites are safe so if you are unaware about it you may try to buy something off the internet and end up getting everything stolen. You may also run into molesters. For example, your child may be on a social site and a stranger they think is nice is really a criminal. The internet isn't safe

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  44. I agree with this article because so many people these days don't really think when they post something on their twitter or facebook. Most people just put things up because they think it's cool but when other people look at it, it actually looks really really dumb. To hide some stuff most people keep their profiles on private so colleges or jobs or even creepy people won't see. Since my family can see my facebook and my twitter isn't private I try to watch what I post. But I don't I don't post anything that scandalous anyways.

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  45. I completely agree with this article. People nowadays put everything that is happening in their lives on social networking sites or the internet in particular. It is like their public diary. Sometimes they don't even notice how ridiculous these things are and how it can ruin their life. I have seen people putting pictures of themselves chugging beer, and smoking that purp and it's like really is that suppose to make you cooler or something.

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  46. I agree with this article. The internet is a very dangerous place. People are trying to take others identity, scaming others out of money, and manyother things listed in the article. Whenever you go on the internet it could be a risk. You could post someti=hing on facebook or some other social media that could get you in trouble or hurt someone elses feelings. This article shows some of the dangers but you must watch out for others.

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  47. This article is very true. Most Americans that have smartphines or access to the internet have some sort of way that they can tell everyone what they are doing. It's through Twiiter, Facebook, Instagram or something like a blog. Some people put things on those websites that they really shouldn't put out in the public. Some of the things they put can ruin their life and even the lifes of other people. I've personally seen people but pictures of themelves doing illegal or just wrong things online. Those people just better hope that the wrong person doesn't see those pictures and they can end up in some real trouble.

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  48. I agree with this article. There are plenty of people that think it is cool to post pictures of them drinking or half naked, but in reality its very inappropriate and no company would want you to represent for them. When I signed my contract to Run for cal State East Bay, they made us agree to not embarrass not only ourselves but the team and the school as well. the consequence would be getting kicked off the team.

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  49. I strongly agree with this article. It tells the truth. So many people post naked pictures, pictures of them doing drugs, and sometimes pictures of them with other "mates". Can you believe that? It ruins their lives and even relationships. All these social networks; facebook, twitter, and instagram are poisoning our lives!!

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  50. I really do agree with this article because I have seen this so many times happen to a friend of mine or just someone I know from school. People think that it is ok to just blab on about personal things on the intenet and even expose themselves on social sites just to look "cool". It is very sad when what they did gets back to them in a negative way. People black mail them or even judge them on what they see on facebook or other sites. This sites really do ruin lives and even relationships (i learned the hard way). WHat happened to socializing in person and doing things the old fashioned way.

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  51. The Five Ways to Screw up Your Life with the Internet is definitely something everyone should know about. Personally, I have an account for almost every social network out there like Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Instagram and I post things almost every day. I definitely think about what I put up on the internet because something I say online can be offensive to others and could possible haunt me in the future. I know whatever I post online is the image I have to all my friends and family and whoever follows me on these social networks so I always try to make sure it isn't anything innappropriate. I've had friends who've said some mean things online about others or have posted inappropriate pictures and doing that caused them so many problems. It's crazy to think that future employers will look you up on Facebook or any social network and judge whether or not they want to hire you. That's something that everyone should keep in mind especially us college students.

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  52. i agree completely with this article to many people put too much on the internet thinking no one pays attention . in the last month i could tell you peoples daily life style if its not someones having a baby the latest drunking photo of the latest activity but many people dont think that their next employer might be looking at it. this is something everyone should consider before posting

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  53. I completely agree with this essay. Many people don't realize the consequences of putting questionable pictures or statuses on their facebook or other social media networks. There are so many social media websites that you can think will be ‘safe’ since you can put your profile on private but what many people nowadays don't realize is that everything that is put in the internet is there forever. Employers turn to social media networks to see how future employers truly are. They have ways to get around having your profile on private. People need to think before they post anything up on the internet because it can come back to haunt them. If you are second guessing yourself if you should post it or not then maybe you shouldn’t. Don't post anything you would not want your family to see. The best way to avoid any problems is to not do any of the five things that the essay talks about.

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  54. I agree with this article because some people don't even think about what they post on social networking. I've always been conscious about what I post on social networking because I don't like people knowing everything about my life and bussiness. Also when I was in high school my grandparents made face books, so I had to keep all posts g-rated. The only thing my grandparents ever felt upset about was what I would sometimes cuss, but I stopped doing that. Now I'm friends with both my parents and many other family members and co workers so I don't want to put anything bad. I feel that people don't even think about what they post before they do because I've had co workers that have gotten fired for posting about another worker. Also, I've had a co worker post about going out somewhere when she called out sick, and it doesn't make sense why they would do that when they are friends with co workers and managers. I'm sure that future employers will be looking at facebooks, therefore I only post updates about school or work and important things I would want my family and close friends to see and maintain a professional manner.

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  55. some of the things I see posted online honestly shock me. People seem to think that the stupid things they put on the internet will disappear. A recent study shows that 85 percent of large companies do background checks on new employees/ applicants. So If you have any "unsavory" photos of you floating around the internet, It would be in your best interest to do everything in your power to remove them.
    If you want my personal opinion, don't be an idiot and keep your inappropriate material off of your social media sites and blogs. It really isnt worth gettiing a few giggles then end up losing your job. Call me paranoid, but I stay clear of posting any sort of risque material on the internet. Best of luck with your internet spring cleaning.

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  56. I had heard about employers doing this in the past but I didn’t think that they actually took it seriously. On social networks I follow a numerous amount of people who I’m sure would be immediately fired if their employer found their accounts. Most of them have their accounts private, but still, with usernames like “mrgiggles420” and a profile picture of them smoking a blunt, says more than enough. I personally have all my accounts private and I don’t post anything illegal because I have family members that follow me, not that I would post something bad anyway.

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  57. I agree with this article because people post really dumb things on the internet. They don't realize that everything you put up is permanent. Even if you delete a picture or comment, it still leaves a cyber foot print. I think its completely acceptable for employers to look at a Facebook or Twitter account before hiring someone. It gives the employer a pretty fair idea of who they are considering for the job really is. If you are concerned about people looking at your page or pictures, take it off! It's not worth having something coming back to haunt you months or years later. Do you really want your future employer looking at pictures of you at that party on Saturday? No! Do yourself a favor, and just take it down.

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  58. This article has so much truth to it. I wish more people would actually have someone tell users of social media this. For me personally my social sites that i have i am totally okay with anyone seeing them i wouldnt be scared for my parents to see it or anyone of my family. I am aware and i know what i post its nothing i would be ashamed of or embarresed of. People now they post whatever they want i mean at the end it is their page but they dont realize that once its out into the internet world anyone can see it. There are jobs out there that do check out your social media and they do judge so we should all make sure we know what we decide to post before it is posted out into the world. Its crazy to think how much social media we are surrounded by and how much people actually take time for them but they can also be dangerous so next time you post something make sure your well aware of what you post.

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  59. As we grow up and pursue our dream careers, it is important that we mature and realize that every dumb action has it consequence. Posting about drinking alcohol or showing our bodies does not make us a better person. On the other hand, it ruins opportunities as we enter the work field. I agree with this article because even though we are young and want to have the most fun since we will not be young forever, we have to realize that inappropriate pictures will not get us anywhere. If we have to take pictures, we can always save them and not post them on our social media accounts. Why the necessity of doing so? One of the major reasons why people do not get hired right away after college is all because of their posts on their social media accounts. This is not a good reason and I am pretty sure I speak for all when I say that I would feel horrible if I did not get hired all because of one inappropriate picture or post. For example, I always have this is mind whenever I go out somewhere because I know that even if a bad picture is posted and I delete it, it was still permanent at some point in time. We all have to be cautious as we get older.

    -Daisy Cabrera

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  60. I think there are 3 sides to this. Some people feel that they need to keep their social media contents private, for these exact reasons. Other people are perfectly fine with putting their information, pictures (appropriate), and life online. And some people are in-between, they are willing to release some, and keep some private. I don't think a lot of people think about how employers can easily search us, and judge us from the pictures or comments we release. Most feel that it's our personal business, and employers need to stay out of our personal lives. Others, are more cautious. They know that we are judged very easily, and social media is a direct target towards us! Others, as I said, are in between. I personally think that people should just consider what they are going to post. As the article basically stated, it can make or break chunks of our lives in the matter of seconds.

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  61. I agree with this article, and have actually wrote an essay about this for my English class. People today do not realize the severity of what they post on social media. Future job employers love looking at social media because it can present the "real" candidate to employers. I have heard of several stories where a person does not get the job they want because of things they have on their social media sites. I have also heard stories about people losing their jobs due to the content on their sites. For example, there was a story about an employee who skipped work, claiming he was sick, but was tagged in a picture drinking with a time stamp. You would think people would be smart enough to monitor their profiles so that they don't hinder themselves from future opportunities. I personally ensure that i monitor my social media sites that way nothing can come back and bite me. The solution to solving these problems people are getting is simply to be cautious when posting.

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  62. I think that this blog post was very persuasive. I know for a fact that people don't think before they post. I have known people who have been kicked out of my high school because they posted pictures or tweeted about how they got roaring drunk the night before. Social media is something that is very useful in today's society, but is also very dangerous. I believe that one should be cautious whenever using social media outlets to meet people. People are not as what they seem on their profile page. You could see a picture of someone, but not know from their picture that they are a convicted killer. If social media could be used for anything, I think that it should be used as a staple for keeping in contact with friends and for possible job opprotunities. Overall, social media can either be a great benefit for communication or an outlet of destruction depending on how society uses it.

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  63. In this article Five Ways to Screw up Your Life with the Internet. The author shows us examples of "Role model" individuals who have screwed up their life from dumb and immature decisions. For instance Anthony Werner is a former U.S. Representative because he uploaded unwise pictures of himself. When you apply for your dream job, your prospective employer is going to Google you and if they find something not of their liking guess whose not getting the job. If you wouldn't want your parents or siblings looking at your Facebook page, you need to do some modifying.

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  64. Even though this article was short, I still found it interesting. The way the author makes you doubt yourself in the end is priceless, because I honestly was thinking if I posted or uploaded any improper images or posts. I can relate to this article because as an example, I too uploaded a post about my boss, which got me in huge trouble. People tend to forget that nothing is private on the Internet; anybody can look through your Facebook, Instagram, or even Twitter. Learning from my past mistakes, I cleaned most of my social media accounts. You wouldn’t want your future employers to look down on you for a post you posted years ago right?

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  65. I have to agree with this post completely. It was a very short article but it was very informing. If you actually have to think about showing someone your Facebook page or any other social media website then there definitely is a problem. I would not mind showing someone my page because well I have nothing bad to hide. I have family members as friends on Facebook and I am fine with it. I’m not scared that they might tell my parents what I post because I have nothing to hide from them. I wouldn't do anything that I would be embarrassed or ashamed of because once it is on the internet it stays there forever and I would not want an old picture to possibly ruin my future job possibilities. It is surprising that many people do not realize that everyone can see everything that is on the internet. When we go in for a job interview they have already googled you to see what you are like and what you do. I personally know of this person who said “I hate my job, it is so boring!” and the next day when she went to work she got fired because of what she had posted. This surprised her because she said she didn't have any coworkers as friends so how did they found out? The manager said well you know what you posted about hating this job well if you hate it then you do not have a problem losing the job. So there’s always a chance that someone will see it.

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  66. Screwing up your life over a post in a social network is plain embarassing. We are all responsible for what we post and once it is on the internet no matter what it is going to get out there for people to see, even those people who you did not intend to show. Once it is on the internet it is going to be tough to get rid of it but I do suggest that we scrub our accounts and make them clean enough to where we would not mind our parents, employers, siblings and professors to see.It is for our own good and for our reputation. Technology has become a big part of our lives that social networking is definitely going to haunt us if we post and say things that are not acceptable.

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  67. This blog only tells the truth about the impact the internet has on people, especially the young teens. Even though I don't log into my Facebook account anymore, I remember when people would post personal pictures of them and their partner. If that couple were to break up for whatever reason, someone always had something to say about it. Arguments would just start up and people will become angry and violent over something irrelevant. People may forget at times that the internet is a tool that can be used to help them find information they want to know rather than a place where nasty comments are said for the public to know. Some things are just meant to be kept as personal information and out of the public eye.

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  68. This blog should be shown to our younger generations who think that their Instagram or Facebook account is a harmless way to interact with friends. When I was younger and in the process of getting my first job, I remember someone telling me that the chances of me not getting the job because of my social media accounts were high. I couldn't believe a city job had the power to fire an employee due to a photo until I witnessed it first hand. One of my coworkers was fired due to a photo of an illegal substance. It was a wake up call for me in realizing that this is a serious issue that not many young people take into account. And it is not only your future dream job but your dream school that could not accept you due to a photo. There is a time and place for everything. Look at your own accounts and see what can stay and what should go. Protect yourself from your own doings.

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  69. Growing up, I have always known not to post anything stupid on any type of social networking only because it can and WILL ruin your reputation. I don't really do stupid things to begin with and to post something about it would not be me. It's not good to talk about personal things or issues on facebook and posting inappropriate pictures isn't OK either. I agree with this article, if you wouldn't want your grandparents to look at your facebook or IG delete it because future employers won't like it either. Don't be dumb and you'll be OK. Especially these college years, people post dumb things and I avoid that 100%.

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  70. I wish i would've read this blog a long time ago because i have done some (maybe 1 or 2) stupid things. I absolutely regret it and i wouldn't want anyone feeling the same. I feel as if we should show it to our younger generations so they do not feel the same way as I did. A word of advice, do not post any pictures of yourself when alcohol is included in the picture and/or post any nudes. And go outside and EXPLORE!! There are so many opportunities in the real world as opposed to the internet world. GO LIVE A LITTLE...

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  71. I agree with this blog, as social media is very popular and somewhat useful in today's generation, it can also backfire in some scenarios. You want to be careful what you share on social media, it's good to never post anything too personal, too deep, or too explicit. I, myself have never had a job or gone through the process of getting accepted into a job, but I already know that anything you ever post on social media, stays on social media and jobs will look you up and check to see what you have done. This is why some people avoid even having social media accounts. They find it better to just avoid any unwanted danger altogether. Some social media's like Snapchat and Instagram you are able to delete things without it being re-traceable. I see social media as something to do in the mean time, when you're bored and want to socialize while just sitting at home. Others don't need that in their lives to stay occupied. They have busy lives and whenever they need to socialize, they simply text or call their desired person of contact. At the end of the day, just don't be stupid!

    - Zachary Kanlong ENGL 1002-02

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  72. After reading this article I’ve realized that social media can really impact your life. Many people are attached to their Facebook pages or twitter pages and don’t realize that they post things that are inappropriate. This article made me question myself if I would be embarrassed to share my Facebook page to others. Which I wouldn’t be because my Facebook page is there for me to get in contact with my friends and family. I like to see what they are doing daily and see how life is working out for them. Not only that but I have my high school teachers as my Facebook friends. It is one thing to post about what is going on around you, but the party life and everything else does not need to be shared to everyone around you. I did not know that when applying for a job the prospective employers googled people and based them off of that. In a way someone should not be based off of their personal life. Someone can be a party person, but when it comes to work they can be professional. On the other hand, someone should not be posting inappropriate posts anyway. So there are sort of two sides to this article.

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  73. Ever since the beginning of 21st century, Internet has spread throughout the world. This brought a change to society where everyone begin to go on their technologies such as computer, phone, tablet for social media. Social media is now used by people in worldwide so they can gather information from others. Of course, there are dangers in being involved with social media. People would be able to find their friend's post that revealed their information too much on social media. If one is caught, there is no going back such as you can not spread the information from spreading around the Internet. This is a bad side to social media when information is too personal for others to see or read. This can be related to jobs because the staffs would look an employee up for what they have done in their years of social media. If they saw one of the employees doing anything that is against the laws or too much information for them to see, they will immediately be fired or demoted. As stated above, do not share personal information because it is already bad enough to weaken an individual's social life.

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  74. I find this quite interesting because I see that people on social post everything on there. "I just woke up now to eat breakfast, go run some arrands, clean myhouse, etc etc." First of all this is not safe because you don't know who is stalking you and thta person might want to hurt you. I have also seen that people Check-In to placesand that gives another person the exact location that you are at. Not only can people stalk you and hurt you but even close friends can use all your post to use them against you. It's okay to use the social media and stay in contact with others but giving them an exact schedule of what you will be doing is to much. What ever you post today will creep up in your future and that is something people don't think about. The less you post the more peaceful you will be.

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  75. I find this quite interesting because I see that people on social post everything on there. "I just woke up now to eat breakfast, go run some arrands, clean myhouse, etc etc." First of all this is not safe because you don't know who is stalking you and thta person might want to hurt you. I have also seen that people Check-In to placesand that gives another person the exact location that you are at. Not only can people stalk you and hurt you but even close friends can use all your post to use them against you. It's okay to use the social media and stay in contact with others but giving them an exact schedule of what you will be doing is to much. What ever you post today will creep up in your future and that is something people don't think about. The less you post the more peaceful you will be.

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  76. I would say when I was younger, I was really hooked on a lot of social media, but ever since my family joined facebook I started using it less. When I hear notifications on facebook I don’t get excited as much because it is usually invitations to play candy crush or something. I can avoid responding to messages so much these days because I have been busy focusing on my real life than my online life. I would advice people to turn certain notification off, that way they do not get tempted to check every 5 minutes.

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  77. This article is speaking the truth many people post everything on their social media not knowing that it can haut them in the future. People post naked pictures and pictures of them drinking, not thinking about the consequences such as how it can affect their new job. There are some people that stay on social media 24/7 posting everything little thing about their life such as when they ate, their mood like every other hour or where they are at. These people do not know that by doing that they can get stalked by a stranger because there are a lot of creeps making fake profiles trying to creep on kids especially girls.

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  78. Gabriela Delgado
    English 1002-02
    05/25/2016
    Blog Quiz Extra Credit
    This is very funny to me. I was actually thinking about this on Monday. I own a Twitter account, but while I was on twitter I saw something that my friend put which got me mad. Therefore I started to "Sub-tweet" her, and tehy weren't mean things, it was just in order to gain her attention but I did seem immature. Therefore what I thought was "What if my next Dream Job, decides to look at my twitter page one day". If my dream job would see that they would probably think that I was being supper dramatic and that therefore I'd be the same way at work. That would be funny and not good for me, because I'm really not dramatic, however that's how I would make myself seem online if someone who does not know me saw that. However, this makes me feel bad for many of my old friends who I still follow on Instagram and Twitter because for some if they ever get their social media checked before being hired they'll never have their dream job.

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  79. This is funny but should also be an alert that must be taken into consideration because it really does impact your life significantly. I own an Instagram account and I barely post because I don't like people trying to judge me. I just don't care what they think and I am happy with myself. I believe that the internet does eat up one's life because you can easily get distracted and last over an hour using it without feeling it. There is a saying that " the more we live, the more we see." This reminds me of social media as more and more girls post pictures that are showing their bodies to the public. My little brother can last all day on his Ipod watching Youtube videos, playing games and listening to music rather than going outside to play.

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  80. I like how this article addresses this issue in a comical manner. However, this is how people literally view this problem. Many remain unaware of the consequences of social media postings and continue to post the most absurd content online just to gain popularity. What they may think is funny and harmless may actually turn out to be quite the opposite in the eyes of authorities. As I’m constantly on twitter (aware of my tweets), I come across news of someone ending up in trouble due to what began as a joke. Although they do gain popularity for something, the fame they receive aren’t necessarily good ones. A specific example I have regarding this issue is a family (I’ve forgotten their names) who video blogs. On YouTube, videos are posted in which the parents prank one of their kids constantly. In gaining attention from the people, they ended up losing custody of their kids.

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  81. I enjoy how this article gets right to the point about how what we post can change the opportunities that we have. I think this is very real. Not everyone necessarily thinks about how a post or a picture can effect future opportunities. I know a lot of people who have social media accounts and block any family members just for the reason that they can post whatever they want. However, some of the post that they do share seem to be a bit much. I personally think about what I post and how my family would react.

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